Report: “Walking around the edge of a field the cows charged. I had to climb over a barbed wire fence while my husband ran around the corner of the field. It would be great to see special fencing protecting public footpaths that are frequently used for cattle grazing.” Minor injuries were sustained and the incident was reported to the police & the local authority who said they would log the incident and that it is important to report them.
Location Footpath between Clwyd gate and farm Plas-y-Nant, nearest large town, Ruthin. Approx grid ref SJ155584, in field just out of woods, exit gate was further obstructed by electric fence.
Single walker, no dog, encounters an aggressive group of bullocks
Andy’s Report: “Leaving gate from the wood and progressing towards my exit gate I could see many young beasts at the far end of the field. About halfway across the field they noticed me and charged, they charged to almost touching distance, over 20 animals, it felt very aggressive.
The field was very broken up making it difficult to keep my footing as I had to back away whilst making a lot of noise and throwing clods of earth to keep them away, I got to the gate only to find it was obstructed by an electric fence which I trampled to get out.
Andy comments: “If I was not a military veteran accustomed to danger I would not have got out of this field uninjured. There should be a more robust process to report to ‘authorities’ and some recognition by police that I have at least the same worth as a sheep.”
Location: Ceredigion Coast Path (part of the Wales Coast Path) between Gwbert & Mwnt
Date: 04/02/26
2 walkers, no dog, meet about 40 Welsh Black bullocks
Pips report: “On the return stretch of our walk we encountered extremely treacherous terrain and a herd of about 40 Welsh Black bullocks milling around all along the path. My partner & I are both country people & I’m a farmer’s daughter who grew up around cattle but this was by some distance the scariest encounter I’ve ever had with livestock. They approached us, some with curiosity, a few with real intent, & starting bucking & circling. We both had to shout & scream & run at them (difficult given the conditions underfoot) & my partner made me go as fast as I could to the next gate whilst he tried to fend them off. Thank God we both made it though but I fell & jarred my hip & neck that are now painful. We were very shaken & absolutely filthy, my body-warmer & jeans were ruined. It’s a really dangerous situation & I want to report in the strongest terms that something needs to be done as a matter of urgency as it could have ended really badly.”
Pip adds “The Wales Coast Path is a very important public right of way & as such should be kept safe for everyone to use.”
Location: Back Forest Farm, River Dane, near Wincle & DaneBridge, Peak District ///wasps.promote.homelands
Date 26/01/26
Single walker, no dog
SY’s Report: “I was heading back to DaneBridge/Wincle from Gradbach/Black Forest. I’d walked by Back Forest Farm along the path between their fields and came to a gate/stile. As I crossed over the stile and looked into the field ahead I could see that there were cows on the footpath and the surrounding field which was on higher ground. The cows saw me and seemed calm and didn’t seem fussed by my appearance. The path is narrow and there are trees immediately after the gate/stile and along the stream/river to the right which is down a steep bank. Because the cows were on the path I attempted to walk to the left of them on slightly higher ground I then heard stampeding and I looked uphill to see a cow running down the hill towards me and rearing its front legs and bucking – it was only a few meters away, I looked to my right and there were cows on the footpath who were now spooked by the cow and I had no choice but to run towards these cows away from the chasing cow and jumped down a very steep bank into the little stream/river and hoped that they wouldn’t chase me. I looked back and they all seemed very agitated so I tried to climb up the steep bank on the other side which was hard as it was wet and muddy and the ground kept falling away from me but there was no other way out. I eventually managed to climb up and ran back to the gate/stile. I was very lucky to escape and I think in part that was due to the fact that I could jump down a steep bank and climb out which wasn’t easy.”
Further comment: “The farmer has a lot of land here so why are the cows being allowed in the small section with the only footpath? Surely the footpath could be fenced off just like it has been done leading up to this section?”
Location: Near Ilminster, Somerset. Exact location: lined.otter.trout
1 person no dog
Report from Matthew: “I saw cattle were in the field but I managed to sneak into the field and walked quietly around the edge without them noticing but as I was nearing the exit, the herd noticed me and charged – very fast and making a lot of noise! I continued walking quickly (not running) and narrowly made it to the gate and got through just before they reached me. Scary.”
Location: We think the path we were on was the Hanson Track, Warwickshire. If you are driving down the A3400 out of Shipston, you take the turn right signposted to Tidmington that leads to Ditchford Road – it’s a field on the right marked as a public footpath just beyond High Furze and opposite a footpath on the other side.
2 people no dog
Report: “We entered the field on the footpath and started walking across, we turned and noticed cows approaching from the other side of the field at speed. We were walking along the edge of the field. The cows closed in quickly and we could not leave the way we came in. We saw another gate and moved towards that thinking we could shut it but we could not as the gate was tied open with pink twine. Cows came through and all surrounded us closely behind the gate. They were making some noises and a few kept trying to creep closer. We were worried that at any point one or some of them could potentially charge or trample us as we were trapped by the wall and an open gate. We stood trying to appear calm for 10 mins but they were not going anywhere and we could not find a number for the farm. “
“The cows kept coming close and we had to sit on top of the gate which wasn’t very high. We felt like we were left with little choice but to call emergency services as we were fearful of walking through the crowd of cattle that had not taken their eyes off us. We were told by emergency services that we had to try and make our way through first by being noisy and trying to walk through them. Although reluctant we felt we had to follow advice and started to yell “move” loudly and clap. A few started to back off and make enough room for us to walk past them. We managed to leave the field safely but were very intimidated as this could have gone horribly wrong.”
“We learned that we may have been given bad advice by being told to be loud.”
“The only signs visible was instructing us to keep dogs on leads and stick to the edges which we did. There was no mention of cattle or how to respond. We also didn’t see the cattle when we entered the field.”
“We ended the call with the police once we exited the field but we don’t think cows should be in a field labelled as a public footpath especially when there are lone walkers and dog walkers. We don’t want this to happen to others who may be elderly or more vulnerable (or less lucky!!)”
Location On PROW immediately after gate from Swinburns Park Estate near Watermillock, Cumbria
People 2, no dog
Account “We stopped walking as soon as we saw the cows on the path in front of us. The cows were single file walking up the path. The lead cow was dappled grey colour and as soon as it saw us it bellowed loudly and started walking towards us followed by the rest of the herd all making loud bellowing noises. We had no option to turn and run for our lives back to the gate. Once we were on the other side of the gate the grey cow had moved off the path into the tall ferns and saw us over the stone wall and came running towards us bellowing.” Respondent suggests that the following may help: “Warning signs on the path and preferably get the pathway fenced off from the grazing area.”
Location: On PROW in Potten End, Hertfordshire between Water End Road and Hempstead Lane.
Family group, no dog
Cows with calves in field
Account “We were walking to the Mad Squirrel brewery last Saturday afternoon around 3pm. There were 4 adults, 2 toddlers and one baby. We had two buggies (fortunately). My friends who live in Potten End have had no problems when walking this route in the past however on this day, a number of cows were in the bushes to the side of the path and as we were walking along the path and closer towards their direction, they started to approach and surround us. We continued walking but became quite fearful with how aggressive and intimidating they were. In the end, we managed to get past them but they kept trying to charge at us and move off at the last moment. We managed to get to the end of the path and throw the children over the fence whilst one adult in our group had to swing a pushchair continuously to prevent them from coming closer towards us. They continued to progress and once the rest of the adults had got through the gate, he ran and threw the buggy over the fence before the cow could reach him. Needless to say, we were covered in cow faeces due to throwing the buggies over the fences after wheeling through whatever was in the field due to fearing for our safety.”
Additional comment “More warning signs are needed. Hostile cows like that should not be left in fields where there is a public footpath. We had very young children who were extremely frightened and as parents, we genuinely feared for theirs and our lives.”
Incident number 1146 Date of incident: 21.06.25 Site: What3words: ///pinch.infringe.builders (Ellesborough, Aylesbury) Cows with calves in field. 1 walker, no dog
Steve’s Description: “I was walking towards Ellesborough Church when a large, completely black cow ran at me, head down, knocking me over before I could reach the gate. I fell onto a hard chalk path, knocked my head above my right eye, I had a cut to my knee and grazes to my legs and arms, and to add insult to injury covered in something unmentionable.”
Additional comment from Steve: “I have walked and hiked many hundreds of miles though woods, farmland and mountains and this is my first experience of cows acting aggressively. I’m so pleased I found your website to report it. Good luck with your campaign.”
Incident number 1143 Date of incident: 21.06.25 Site: Attacked by a cow on the footpath between Foolow and Wardlow Mires, 200 yards north of Wardlow Mires 3 Stags Heads pub. Derbyshire. Cows with calves, pale colour, bigger than a Jersey cow. I person, no dog
Description: ” I was walking down the foot path towards Wardlow Mires. A single cow from a small group of cows with calves charged and knocked me against a dry stone wall, butting me repeatedly. The wall saved me from being trampled. I have lacerations to my right arm and hand.” Additional comment: “Let as many people know how dangerous cows can be as possible. Farmer should take more care in alerting hikers to the dangers.”
Incident number 1142 Date: 18.06.25 Site: 1st incident at watched.calibrate.behave on the PROW adjacent to Pickedstones Farm in Exmoor National Park, approximately 3 miles SE of Simonsbath. . 2nd incident at jeering.cases.gambles on the same footpath but approximately 1/2 mile closer to Simonsbath. 2 walkers, no dog.
Description: “We were walking a loop path from Simonsbath along the River Barle (the Two Moors Way) then up onto the ridge to the North for the return journey to Simonsbath. The route is described in ‘Exmoor and the Quantocks’ – Outstanding Circular Walks. Pub. Ordnance Survey 2022. ISBN 978-0-319-09011-4.”
1st incident – “We arrived at a gate. The other side of the gate was a large herd of Friesian cows with calves at foot and a Charolais bull. No warning signs, no mitigation, no diversion offered. I entered the field carrying my ‘cow-stick'(my wife is very cautious around cattle, having seen many severe injuries and deaths caused by cattle whilst working in intensive care in Nottingham.) I have some experience handling cattle. I walked calmly toward the herd holding the stick out to the side and speaking. Often this will cause a herd to move aside and clear a path. On this occasion they grouped together facing me with the bull in the centre of the group. Not advancing but not retreating either. It was clear they would not let us pass. There was a gate to my right into an adjacent field (what 3 words: polygraph.penned.frost) which we passed through (thus leaving the PROW), and crossed the adjacent field keeping parallel to the PROW but the other side of the field boundary. We then climbed over the double fence, back onto the PROW at compounds.catapult.channel, which was beyond the boundary of the cattle-containing field. My wife was scratched all over by waist-deep brambles and barbed wire making this diversion. If we had not diverted around the cattle, we would have had to retrace our steps (approximately 6-7 miles from this point) turning a relatively easy 8 mile walk into a 13-14 mile hike for which we were not provisioned or prepared.”
“After tending to my wife’s wounds, we proceeded along the path in the direction of Simonsbath.”
2nd incident – “after approximately 1/2 mile a very similar situation presented itself. The path was blocked by approximately 200 head of mixed cows with calves at foot and another Charolais bull. ( The above photo is of the connecting gateway to the other herd but my priority was to get us to safety not to get a good image) This time the cattle were very belligerent – grouping together, bellowing and agitated. Again there was a potential ‘escape’ gate into another field where we could have diverted (at ringside.passages.briefing) but, unfortunately, this gate was also open and the field to which it led contained the other half of the herd. Thus we were faced with a very large, agitated herd containing cows, calves and a bull, which had been split either side of the path.” “Even my cow herding skills were no match for this situation. Again there were no warning signs, no mitigation and no diversion offered. We therefore abandoned our walk and headed down the hill to our left which has a 1:1 gradient and drops down to the Two Moors Way which we headed out on.”
“Later the same day I spoke to a local business owner in Lynton about our experience – he knows the area well and has walked the path we were on many times. He has also attended many Exmoor national park meetings and events. He tells me that the farmers in the Simonsbath area are generally very anti-tourism and actively discourage use of the paths wherever possible. The location of the cattle we came across and the lack of mitigation (a short strand of electric fence could have completely solved the first incident and better planned fencing could have solved the second) certainly creates the impression that the cattle are being used to discourage use of PROWs which, of course, is illegal.“
Jerry comments. “Keep cattle and people apart! My wife was quite shaken by this because at one point it felt, to her, as if we were trapped between two herds. She was also scratched and bruised by our forced diversion. It stopped us proceeding with our planned route and made our walk longer than it should have been on a very hot day. “
Incident number 1141 Date of incident: 15.06.25 Site: Footpath across field leading to Shap Abbey, heading east from Rayside parallel with and above the river (to the south of the river) 2 walkers, no dog Type of cow: Group of cows and calves in same field : Very large, all black
Description: “The cows and calves were scattered across the field and the footpath went through the middle of them. We realized there were calves and slowly backed off. An enormous black cow mooed at us repeatedly and followed us. The cow kept watch and came closer as we moved to an alternative route. We had to climb a wire fence then make a circuit around the field on a steeply sloped field above the river. We then had to rejoin our route by going under barbed wire. Due to the beaten path it looked as if other walkers had done the same. The detour was difficult terrain to walk. The cow continued to moo above us out of view so we made our diversion very long.” Joanne comments: “There need to be big warning signs. Proper diversions should be offered if needed. Better fencing.”
Cattle Safety 